


Amaranth

by meddlesomewiz



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M, Fuck Or Die, OCs villains, smut in late chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-20
Updated: 2014-08-20
Packaged: 2018-02-14 00:00:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2170272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meddlesomewiz/pseuds/meddlesomewiz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an attempt to submerge himself in adventure and intrigue, the Doctor accidentally drops Rose and himself off in a new setting that quickly escalates into a trip the Doctor could have done without.<br/>Warnings: Spoilers for up to Season 2 ep “New Earth”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Adventure is an Awful Thing to Waste

**Author's Note:**

> For a mix by[Monkiainen](http://monkiainen.livejournal.com/) for bigbang_mixup on LJ. [Mix can be found here](http://wordsbym.livejournal.com/18492.html).
> 
> A big thank you to Monkiainen for putting up with me because I am the worst. 
> 
> (PS sorry that this is not betaed as of now. I am still hearing back from my beta. If grammar mistakes annoy you, I would hold off on reading until it is fixed)

In the depths of space and time there is a man. At this juncture he is traveling with a spunky, shop girl and they have just visited New (new, new, new, new...) Earth. The man is always moving, searching, and grasping for anything that will stay his attention for what he is running from. Now, though, he has encountered a new problem. The past adventure included touching lips, switching bodies, and a v-neck shirt that also revealed the skin about tight jeans. While the almost platonic relationship that the man was able to maintain with his companion has now reached a crossroads. The Doctor needs to decide what Rose will be to him. He is half tempted to just maroon her somewhere, not unlike what he did with Sarah and Jack. Rose is resourceful, she would get back home without incident.

The Doctor shut the door as he trailed behind Rose Tyler into the TARDIS. His hand came up to his neck, massaging away the tension as he stared at Rose. The taste of Rose was still on his lips, a symbolic reminder of what this relationship was: fleeting. The Doctor broke away from Rose, changing his line of sight to console. The bright lights flashed and the monitors came to life as he started up the TARDIS up. 

Rose turned to the Doctor expectantly, giving him a little half smile, “Where next, Doctor?” She leaned into him a bit as she asked the question. There was a magnetic pull around the Doctor. Rose was not the only one to fall pray to him. Rose did not mind the events that transpired one bit. Well, she did mind that the Doctor seemed to be under the impression that she needed saving at every turn and required him as her hero. Biting her lip as she frowned in concentration. The scene on the ladder where they dangled on the edge of certain death was not a good time for heroism. 

The Doctor glanced at Rose. She was draped stunningly across the TARDIS console. Her shirt had ridden up as she had leaned over, uncovering tantalizing skin. The Doctor did not notice this obviously. He was resolutely not staring at his companion because she was led his thoughts astray. Rose seemed distracted herself. 

It was like a light went off in his head, “Oh!” The Doctor exclaimed as he grabbed Rose's face, “You are beautiful!” And just like that the Doctor was running at full speed around the console as he brought the TARDIS about.

Rose laughed at the Doctor, shoving down the feeling she had when the Doctor had looked into her eyes and touched her. “Why am I suddenly beautiful?” She tried to joke in order to distract from the way she was feeling. The Doctor was flipping switches and spinning around like a mad man. He smiled as he busied himself with the task of navigating the TARDIS. “Doctor?!” Rose yelled as the Doctor ignored her and carried on his task. 

“A distraction!” The Doctor says as he slips around to the other side of the TARDIS. This brings him to a stop. He has the console in between himself and Rose. “Distractions are necessary when running from all of time and space,” the Doctor murmurs as he gets ready to plunge the TARDIS into uncertainty. 

A blonde head pops around the console, “Should I hold on to something?” Rose would be bewildered by his swift mood changes if she was not on a space ship in the future being led around by an alien. “Where are we going?” Rose enunciates as she gets the Doctor's attention. 

The Doctor jumps to Rose and grabs her upper arms, “Anywhere, and nowhere.” Rose smiled in response to the Doctor's cryptic response. 

The Doctor paused with his hands before the last switch that would send the TARDIS off to an unknown location. “Like a roll of the die,” the Time lord clicked his tongue, “Anywhere at anytime.” The Doctor locked gazes with Rose. He was silent as he stared into her eyes, solidifying his plan as he saw Rose's feelings plainly in her eyes, “Just not here.” 

He flipped the switch. 

* * *

The Doctor pops his head of the TARDIS door. He decided he would not look at the monitors that would give various readouts on the planet and time they landed in. It is a much more exciting implication if he knew nothing coming into a place, and discovered their origins without the aid of the TARDIS. But, it would be no good if they landed somewhere that would be inhospitable to humans. The Doctor wanted to run away from introspection, not kill the girl. He took a long sniff as he surveyed where they had landed. They seemed to have landed inside a ship. He could hear the engines whirling away as he stepped out into the compartment the TARDIS picked to land in. 

The Doctor took a cursory look at his surroundings after he saw no one was there to see them. He found himself in a dark corridor. There were golden plates lining the wall. Walking up to the plates, the Doctor was able to see the design on the walls. “Hmmm, by the architecture I would put as in the new, new, new, new, Renaissance of the human race,” he continued down the corridor, smiling to himself. “You humans are always look, yet always pushing forward!”

“Can I come out yet, Doctor?” Rose called from the inside as she edged closer to the door. Traveling with the Doctor would, without fail, get her adrenaline pumping. It also made her impatient. “If we landed in the Jurassic period, you would have already been eaten by dinosaurs!” Rose goaded the Doctor, a laugh in her voice. 

“Yes, yes. Come on!”

Cautiously, Rose stepped out of the TARDIS and was immediately disappointed. She was in a corridor. A dark corridor. Where was the adventure in a corridor? “Doctor? Where are we and-” Rose tried to form the next part carefully, “Where- is the- you know-” 

The Doctor looked over at her, his eyebrows scrunching up as he tried to understand what his companion was asking. “The?” He prompted. 

Rose gave a little embarrassed laugh, “Well, I don't know if you have noticed this, but-” she shrugged a little as she finally got it out, “There is always a problem wherever we are and you fix it.” 

“Oh!” The Doctor looked away. “Well – that-,” he stopped. There was movement at the end of the corridor. At least the Doctor thought there was. Shaking off the notion, the Doctor turned back to Rose, “There is a good explanation for why I always seem to-”

“Did you see that?” Rose cut the Doctor off. A dark mass had passed across the head of the corridor where the bulkhead was. “I could have sworn-” she slowed down as she snapped her head back from the place the mass had been at to the Doctor. 

The Doctor snapped his neck in the direction his companion was pointing to. Pulling out his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor started scanning the areas around them.

Rose gave the Doctor a small smile, “Doctor I was just having a laugh about the Jurassic period, if we are going to be eaten by dinosaurs...Well I just expected jungles for that sort of thing!” Rose laughed it off. She had started subconsciously playing with her shirt, tugging on the material as she looked at the Doctor. Rose found it a good rule of thumb to only be scared when the Doctor was. Being with him would always guarantee her safety.

The Doctor peered at Rose above the rim of his glasses. He was trying to understand what was going on in this unknown place. “Dinosaurs on a star ship?” The Doctor scoffed at the idea. “Wait, hold on. Do you want to see that type of phenomena? Because I can take us to that sort of thing. I am sure it has happened at some point in time.” The Doctor, always looking to impress his companions. As if being a Time Lord did not already do so.

The dark mass crossed the entry way to the corridor again. Both Rose and the Doctor snapped their heads in the direction of the disturbance. Quickly glancing back at each other, they broke out into a run and followed the mysterious figure. They dashed through the corridor and rounded on the bulkhead. The Doctor halted when he reached the crossways in the new set of corridors. Viciously turning every which way as he pointed his sonic screwdriver down each hallway. 

“Doctor?” Rose tried to gain the Doctor's attention.

The Doctor stopped in his search and was examining his sonic screwdriver, “I thought I found something, blasted thing,” he shook the sonic screwdriver and held it up to his ear. 

“Doctor?” Rose voice climbed an octave out of her urgency.

“Hmm?” He finally teared his gaze away from his sonic screwdriver and the corridor he had been examining. 

“I found it, or really, them.”

Nine figures in black armor had their weapons trained on Rose and the Doctor. One man was pointing his weapon at Rose's head, while the others had surrounded the Doctor. Each one had a helmet with a insignia depicting a single eye in the center of their forehead. 

The crowding the corridor could only work to the Doctor's favor, considering their larger numbers and bulky armor that would certainly cause problems if a fight ensued. The firearms the figures had might not harm him, but the one pointed at Rose's head was definitely a problem. 

“You should know before we get started,” the Doctor's voice hardened, a reflection of the warrior inside of him, “That I don't like guns. Especially guns pointed at my friends.” He nonchalantly pocketed his sonic screwdriver as he raised his hands slowly in a show of surrender.


	2. In the Jailhouse Now

Rose was shoved into a room with one table and two chairs. The Doctor was right behind her when she turned around to tell the one who handled her like that off. The door closing was the only sound in the room, and the sound of the deadbolt locking into place after that. Hostile locals and absolutely no explanation, just another day in the life as a Doctor's companion. Sighing, Rose went to one of the chairs in the room. It is not like she had much a choice on action. 

The Doctor walked around the room. He noted five different surveillance devices. Keeping his hand confined underneath his coat, the Doctor set about deactivating the devices. It was never good when he left too many breadcrumbs across time and space. “See,” he nudged Rose as he passed her in the chair, “You just had to be patient.”

Rose broke out into a wide grin, she sat up in her seat, “I know. So where are we?” 

Sitting down on the other chair, the Doctor gave Rose a matching smile. If there was anything in all the cosmos that was an aphrodisiac, it was traveling with the Doctor. “Well,” the Doctor unnecessarily prolonged the 'well' to give himself more time to arrange his answer and let Rose stew in suspense. “It's the future, they are human. It is difficult to pinpoint a year though,” the Doctor became distracted as he tried to date the weapons and technology at the location, “It is probably during the time after the destruction of the first Earth, when human's made colonies among the stars.”

Rose looked up unseeingly as she made sense of the information, “We are in some space-colony, like the Death Star.” 

“It is no moon.” The Doctor winked at Rose. 

Rose and the Doctor were left smiling at each other in a comfortable silence. The Doctor thought that it was always nice to be comfortable with a companion, especially so soon after a regeneration. Rose, like many of the Doctor's past companions, always find their strength when traveling with him. He takes their innocence of the world and gives them a completely new worldview. She wont be satisfied going back to working as a shop girl. The Doctor really should stop thinking in terms of 'innocence' and 'satisfaction' when he is alone with Rose. It leads to ideas. To memories of the last trip they took. To New Earth. Where he was kissed by Rose. Rose's body. Rose would not kiss like Cassandra. How would Rose kiss like? Would it be a full body experience? Would she be a bitter?

Rose was licking her lips as she sat in her seat. The seat was not the most comfortable seat and this was causing her to fidget as she tried to move her bottom around into a manageable position. Rose glanced back at the Doctor to see if he was having difficulty with the chair as well. The Doctor was unblinkingly staring at her. His eyes were on her face, but did not seem to reach her eyes. “What?” Rose wondered what he was looking at. 

“Hmm?” The Doctor broke his concentration on her lips to make eye contact with Rose. 

“Are you alright?” Rose's brow furrowed with worry as she examined the Doctor. It was not that long that the Doctor was laid up in bed, maybe he was not as alright as he claimed to be.

“Fine, yes.” The Doctor realized he had not stopped looking at Rose since he sat down. This adventure was meant as a distraction, and yet, Rose remained the one doing the distraction. He wondered if he should have taken them to a place with freezing temperatures in order to cover her up. As he continued to gaze into Rose's eyes, the Doctor realized that he would still be distracted by her even if she was just her eyes and he needed to moisturize her constantly. That actually did not sound too made, the Doctor would not mind helping Rose create some moisture. He quickly broke off eye contact with Rose and paid particular attention to the walls surrounding the room. 

One of the walls was not what it seemed. The Doctor focused on the wall. It was a two-way wall, where the inhabitants on the other side of the wall could observe the room. It was standard arrangement if they were indeed being imprisoned. 

“Doctor?” Rose waited for the Doctor pulled himself away from his thoughts on the mundane room. When Rose had the Doctor's attention she continued on. “Can I ask you about something?” 

The Doctor nodded. 

“I just-what I want to ask is-,” Rose took a deep breath, “What am I to you?”

The loaded question went off like a shotgun in the dead of night, right into the Doctor's double hearts. The Doctor looked away from Rose, hoping she could not read his emotions. 

Now that Rose had opened up, she soldiered on through her questioning, “You mean a great deal to me. It's getting to the point where I-” her voice cracked, “-I wont want to go back.” Rose finished quietly. 

She looked at the Doctor for any sign of his thoughts. “Do I matter to you at all?” Rose looked devastatingly at the Doctor, as he continued to stare off at the wall. His jaw ticking, like he was clenching it in order to stop himself from speaking.

The deadbolt on the door swung open on the room's door. The man who had held the gun to Rose's head came into the room. Silently, the man looked from Rose to the Doctor. “I prefer to employ my own emotional torture, but it seems you have done the job for me.”

Walking to the front of the room, where both prisoner's could see him, the man used a remote to activate a digital screen. On the screen was an illuminated picture of the TARDIS. “I am Lt. Archon. You are in Amarantus illegally and you will tell me why.” The Lieutenant seemed to stumble on the next bit, “And how?” 

The inhabitants of the room remained in silence.

“You are like a drug, Doctor.” Rose whispered at first, “I am addicted and I will never have enough of you, but I will always come back for more, for whatever scraps you are willing to give me.” Rose despaired as her voice grew louder and louder.

The Doctor abruptly stood up from his chair. Anger seared through his veins. “Do you think this is easy for me? I have watched my friends die! I have seen those I love perish before my eyes while I continue on.”

“Is that what this is about?” Rose scoffed, “Is that why you don't give in to your feelings that are more than surface deep?”

“I-” The Doctor looked earnestly at Rose, “-can't.”

Rose rounded on the Doctor, her chair falling to the ground in her hurry. “You are just a lonely boy! A lonely boy who picks up the nearest human and shows them a life that they can never have but who gives them one taste-” Rose accentuated that by violently pointing one finger, “One taste. And who plans to never go through with the promises he gives!” 

Rose was panting as she stood toe to toe with the Doctor. She would not give an inch. Not about this. Not with him. As they stood together, chest's heaving, their bodies were mere inches from each other. The Doctor dropped his gaze to Rose's lips. Rose leaned into the Doctor. 

“Would you mind dealing with your bedroom problems elsewhere, I am trying to conduct an investigation? The Emperor does not care for your relationship outside of the danger you both possess.” Lt. Archon's face remained stoic as his monotone voice reprimanded the pair. “May I continue?” He asked, daring them to continue. During the production, the Lieutenant had procured the Doctor's chair.

Rose and the Doctor had forgotten the Lieutenant was there. They had been wrapped up within one another. Rose stepped away from the Doctor and subconsciously flattened out wrinkles from her clothing. The Doctor glared at the man. Turning, the Doctor put his hands in his pockets and went to the wall that was not what it seemed. A clear dismissal of the Lieutenant, but it was clear it would not stop him.

“How did-” Lt. Archon was interrupted by his earpiece. A voice crackled through the device. The Doctor could not make out the words said on the other side of the device, it was a drone murmur to his ears. “With all due respect your Grace-” The Lieutenant continued his conversation. His face hardened as he was talked to and, if it was possible, the Lieutenant straightened his back more. 

The Doctor gave a little laugh at the Lieutenant. He recognized the face of one being ordered to do something he was against. 

“I will handle it personally, your Grace,” Lt. Archon nodded to himself as he stood up from the chair. Taking a final look at the occupants with a look of disappointment, Lt. Archon went to the door and swung it open. “You are free to go.” 

“What?” Rose was confused. She looked the Doctor, before turning back to Lt. Archon, waiting for some explanation.

“Do you want to stay here? I could also find you a cell if you want. Now stop wasting my time and leave.” Lt. Archon replied impatiently as he waited for them to take the hint.

“Just like that?” Rose was not planning on walking out until it was explained.

The Doctor glanced at the wall that was not what it seemed. He sighed, “Just like that.” He turned away from the wall and continued out the room. Not waiting to see if Rose would follow or not.


	3. What Now?

Rose watched the Doctor leave the room by himself. She took deep breaths to calm herself. She was not going to cry in front of strangers from a different time. Rose had honestly believed that the Doctor had some feelings for her. 

But now. 

Rose took another breath. She had to keep it together now. There might not be anything more for her with the Doctor, but she could still enjoy going to strange, new places. 

After centering herself, Rose walked out the room in search of the Doctor. She took herself back through the area that they had taken to get to the room in hopes of catching up. Looking down the corridor Rose could not catch even a glimpse of a long brown coat. He was gone. 

Maybe one of the locals had seen the direction he went. Many officers, wearing the same black uniform with the singular eye emblazoned on the helmet, were going about their duties in the corridors that Rose was navigating. “Excuse me?” Rose tapped the shoulder of one of the men. 

The officer turned to see who was disturbing him from his duties. “Ma'am?” He curtly answered.

Rose was not deterred by the officer's standoffish attitude. She was from London. “Have you seen a tall man, about this high,” Rose leveled her hand above her head to about the Doctor's height, “He was wearing a long brown coat and a blue suit. Different from your usually scenery as you can imagine.” She finished with a cheeky smile. There were only officers in black in the surrounding area, it would have been easy to spot someone who did not fit in. At least Rose hoped. Traveling with the Doctor had taught her, however, that hiding something alien in plain sight was an effective strategy. How else could a blue phone box blend in all across the time and space?

The officer sighed, this was a great strain to his work day Rose assumed, “No one who is unauthorized has come down this hall.” The man left abruptly and continued down the hallway, without a second thought to Rose.

Rose's smile fell as she watched the officer walk away. So far the locals have not been very welcoming. 

Neither had the Doctor. The Doctor had been off since they entered the TARDIS after watching Cassandra die. He would hardly look Rose in the eye. Rose's brow furrowed as she tried to puzzle out the Doctor. 

Shaking herself out her slump, Rose muttered to herself, “No use in standing in the way.” Rose looked down the corridor and continued in the direction she was heading. At the very least she might find the TARDIS. 

Rose ambled through a series of hallways. Twisting left and right when she thought she recognized an area, but it was no use everything looked the same to her. Rose stopped in the middle of the hallway again. Grabbing her head, Rose let out an exacerbated sigh, “A map with a great big 'YOU ARE HERE' on it would be very useful right about now.” Looking down the hallway again, something caught Rose's eye.

A blue light shown down an intersecting corridor. The faint hues tinting the otherwise gray interior. This sector had been filled with colorless halls, all looking exactly the same. Blue was a new and welcome color for Rose.

“The TARDIS,” Rose breathed out. She picked up her pace as she headed for the blue light. A smile broke onto her face as she came upon it. The Doctor had not left her. She could do well enough on her own. Everything was going to be all right. 

Rose cut the corner as she barreled into the new hallway, “Ha!”

*

Lt. Archon watched as the two trespassers wound around different routes in the maze of Echo Base from security cameras. The lieutenant focused on the blonde girl. At first he had considered her to be the weak link in the duo, but he looked at her resolve to continue moving forward compared to the males insistence on evasion. Both would mean trouble. 

Turning from the screens, Lt. Archon looked at the others in the room. Immediately after being forced to dismiss the trespassers, Archon went straight to the source of the unpleasant orders. Archon raised his eyebrows as he looked at the set of three before him, “They can't be as much trouble as you seem to believe they are.” 

The hulks of machinery with only organic material internally, were stagnant as they were plugged into various leads that gave them energy. They were all confined to the space, shackled in their attempt to stay alive. The gold and silver of their metallic shell glinted off the overhang light.

While the higher beings were motionless, Archon knew they were not lifeless. He continued, “Would it not be easier to keep them in lock down. Now they can invade any part of the great Amarantus.” The lieutenant put up his hands in a mock supplication, “Whatever you fear from these two, I can promise my squadron is more than capable of taking care of these jokers. Lord Dale-”

“They must evacuate!” 

“As overlords we command it!”

“Do not exterminate!” They united together and their shrill voices broke through the air. 

“There will be no executions of any kind, will their be dear?” A feminine voice sung into the room. A flash of ruby skirt caught the corner of Lt. Archon's eye as he turned towards the intruder. The voice and stark apparel all pointed to one person in all of Amarantus.

“Empress!” Archon bent over and bowed deeply at the presence of the Empress.

Empress Mina walked in with her head held high and she moved as if she were floating in water. Her ruby dress trailed down behind her and gave the appearance of a sea of blood in her wake. 

“No dear, it would not be prudent to kill our guests,” the Emperor came up beside the Empress as they stopped in front of Archon and the trio of Daleks. Emperor Regulus was a full head taller than the Archon and wore a ruby overcoat to match the Empress.

“Guests!” One of the Daleks interrupted. “They must be evacuated!”

A sweet smile graced her face as the Empress Mina approached the stationary aliens. Coming to a stop in front of the middle Dalek, she placed her hand comforting on the alien's shell. “We have to be cordial to our guests. They must be exhausted from their journey down to the lovely Amarantus,” Mina looked expectantly at the Daleks. 

“How did they get here? I was under the assumption that all human life on the planet's surface had been decimated by the war.” Lt. Archon addressed the Daleks. “Do you perchance think another colony of humans survived?” 

“Transportation matters not! The Doctor must leave! They must leave before our plans come to completion!” The middle Dalek spoke for the triad again. Each of the aliens jostled back and forth as much as they could without unplugging themselves. 

“Oh nonsense,” Emperor Regulus took his wife's hand as he directed her away from the Daleks and back towards where they entered, “They are now the honored guests of the Empire and must be treated exquisitely.” 

“I will see to their comfort personally, your Highness,” Lt. Archon gave a curt bow towards the retreating couple. 

“This is unacceptable! They shall not stay!” The Dalek tried one last time. 

“Milord Dalek you worry needlessly. Everything will be perfect and you can continue with your-” the Empress made a slight movement with her left hand, “-pet project.” 

The Emperor and Empress left the room, leaving Lt. Archon alone with the Daleks. Archon watched as the imperial couple walked down the corridor. He waited until they were out of hearing range before addressing the Daleks once again, “If I didn't know better, oh powerful ones, I would think you were scared.”

The screens showing Rose and the Doctor's movements in Amarantus continued to play. The Doctor was strutting with purpose to an unknown destination. His back was straight and his head held high as he walked through the winding hallways. Rose had halted her progress in the observatory. She stood still and alone in the open room.

*

Rose looked at her muddled reflection on the glass walls of the aquarium. She was not taking in the sea life that the aquarium was exhibiting. There was a lump in her throat when she tried to swallow. 

This was not how she imagined her trip with the Doctor to be. She had hoped that at the very least she would get a “goodbye” from him before he marooned her in the future, or wherever this was. Rose was starting to have second thoughts about the Doctor's epiphany.

Rose focused on the music drifting across the empty room. She recognized it from when she was at the air raid on London. This place had a taste for old music. Rose swayed to the blues spreading through the room. It even had the gravel quality you get from listening to a gramophone. Rose frowned as the distinct scratch of vinyl played through the megaphones in the corner of the room. 

The Doctor may have thought that they were in a place that was mimicking the old human style, some new Renaissance if Rose remembered correctly. This was going beyond the call of duty for reenacting the past. Humans will always try to get better quality out of their music recordings. “Maybe,” Rose smirked, “It's not about embracing the old but renovating the new.” 

“I couldn't have said it better myself and I commissioned the construction of Amarantus.”


	4. Lost and Found

The Doctor realized he was lost. Either that or someone had moved the TARDIS. He had gone back the exact way the Lieutenant had taken them. Every corner and corridor was not left untouched as he had fled back to safety. Safety? The Doctor shook his head at the ridiculousness of it. She was just an ordinary human being. But that is why she is extraordinary, the Doctor reminded himself. 

Subconsciously the Doctor's hand came up to rub his neck as he thought about the mess he had made. It was only a matter of time until either Rose left him or she would die. There never really is any better options. 

Suddenly the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. The Doctor could feel eyes burning into his skin. He was being watched. Trying not to let on the fact that he knew of their presence, the Doctor spoke as he turned around, “And where have you been, Ro-”

“Me? I daresay that is very forthright of you. We only just met.”

It was a man. Not Rose, like the Doctor had thought. Why wasn't Rose right behind him? She shouldn't have taken too long to find him. Something pulled at the edges of the Timelord's mind, but he could not grasp it to bring into focus.

The man smiled at the Doctor while he presented himself. “Shall we be introduced before I go on to tell you where I have been, or would you prefer we start over entirely?” His coy tone was grating on the Doctor's nerves. The man was standing as if he was expecting a specific action from the Doctor. Not like the greetings of humans usually with hugs, handshakes, or a slight nod. It seemed the man was expecting the Doctor to fall to his knees and kiss his gloved hand.

Must be royalty.

“Call me the Doctor,” he said as he gave a slight bow. He was used to dignitaries of all species and cultures, he could adapt to this situation easily enough. 

The man watched the Doctor bend and he must have deemed it acceptable decorum. “Just the Doctor? No name to go with it?” 

“Just the Doctor. It's a lot easier to for anyone to grab my attention than if they would have to yell Doctor so-and-so. I once knew a Doctor Soandso, he did all his surgeries with his claws. Never lost a pat-” The Doctor tapered off toward the end when he realized the man had stopped listening. The man was staring at a fixed point off to the side of them. Narrowing his eyes at the man in confusion, the Doctor cleared his throat. 

The man snapped his attention back to the Doctor. “What an unfortunate name for that doctor, and unfortunate hands. Were they the result of inbreeding?” 

Odd. The Doctor positioned himself so that he could look down the hallway as well as continue talking to the man. 

A flash a yellow and blue caught the Doctor's eye. “Rose?” He gasped as he watched Rose smile at some unknown woman.

The Doctor went full sprint toward her. 

*  
A woman with a ruby dress that trailed behind her like rose petals was standing just behind Rose. Clasping her hands behind her back, the woman stepped up to the glass beside Rose. “

“Good view, isn't it?” The Empress fixed her hair as she stared at the muddle reflection in the glass. 

Rose raised her eyebrows as she looked at the woman and then to the ocean life before her. She did not think that the woman meant the aquarium. For all the shiny surfaces in this place, Rose was starting to actually believe this woman had a hand in the making. A little smile formed in the corner of her mouth, Rose said, “It's not a proper aquarium though. No jellyfish.”

Momentarily distracted, the woman looked over at Rose with a delicate eyebrow raised. “Aquarium?” 

Rose nodded towards the glass and the view, “Is that not the word for it?” 

A laugh escaped the woman. “Try Observation Deck, darling.” The woman said in a condescending tone and a smile on her lips. 

“Observation?” Rose looked out of the glass again. Cupping her hands around her eyes, Rose pressed her face against the glass to get a better view. Looking down provided Rose with all the evidence she needed that this was in fact not an Aquarium on some ship in space, but they were in fact in an ocean. Rose stared at the dark depths that were seemingly endless as they continued on below them and outwards. 

Rose's eyes widened as she took in this new fact. Regaining composure of herself, this certainly was not the weirdest thing she had seen all week. Her adventurous side took over as she looked over at the woman, “Are we in Atlantis?” 

“Atlantis? Do not be so childish, darling.” The woman raised her arms to present the area around, “Welcome to Amarantus!” As if just saying the name was a cue, external lighting powered on and Rose could see six huge structures outside of the one they were in all connected out in the ocean. It was more than just a city, it was a civilization. 

The woman looked at Rose expectantly, as if she was supposed to be in awe of just the mere name. When no such reaction was forthcoming, she stuck out her lip in a slight pout. 

Rose rolled her eyes at the woman's behavior. She certainly had a thing for theatrics and grandeur. 

A small irritated noise came from the back of the woman's throat before she continued, “And I am the Empress of Amarantus. You may call me Empress unless of course you are of equal or-” the Empress gave a derisive once over on Rose, “-higher standing.” 

“Oh well I am the Queen Rose of-” Rose tried to remember a name that might ring familiar but the Empress would not be able to call her bluff. “Shadow Proclamation.” Rose tried not to enjoy the taken aback look the Empress was sporting. 

“I was not aware that denim jeans and sheer tops were respectable attire for queens,” the Empress looked away from Rose and to her own reflection again. He hands drifted to her bodice as she slowly ghosted her hands up from her waist to the top of her dress. “It makes me glad I am an Empress instead,” the Empress smirked as her hands felt up the soft fabric.

Rose looked away, blushing slightly because she was not able to stop watching the woman as her hands ascended up her body. Traveling with the Doctor has certainly broadened her horizons. “I find myself preferring to wear convenient cloths for running. My-” Rose stuttered at how to describe the Doctor. 

“You are not the first,” The Empress continued to stare at her reflection as she spoke, “And you are certainly not the last.” Delicately tilting her head, the Empress glanced at Rose. “You are just the latest distraction in a long line of warriors and shop girls. There is nothing special about you that makes you different from them. He will leave you. He will leave you like all the others before you and the all the others after you.”

Rose looked away from the Empress as she bit her lip. She tried to word her reply in an accourt manner instead of telling the Empress to piss off. This woman was giving a manic Queen of Hearts vibe and Rose would prefer to keep her head, thanks. Taking a deep breath, Rose opened her mouth to reply but nothing came out. She stood there with her mouth gaping open, speechless and bereft. 

“Oh, it is alright darling.” The Empress stepped close to Rose and reached out with her left hand to tauntingly pat her back. “I have never met a man that was stable.”

Rose clenched her eyes shut as she felt tears start to form in the corner of her eyes. She would not give the Empress the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Even though she knew the Empress was attempting to push at all her weakest points and make her crack, it did not mean her words did not strike true. The fact that this stranger was able to see what could pull on her heartstrings was making Rose feel even more pathetic. If that was at all possible at this point in the day. 

Rose needed to find the Doctor. They needed to get out of here and away from this awful woman. Maybe Rose could convince him to visit London next. The smell of fish and chips will cheer her up, as well as a visit to her mum. 

The pounding of feed against the floor made Rose look up. The Doctor was running full on towards her. This was a new experience since they were usually running together. Rose's mind drifted to how much she enjoyed running with the Doctor especially when he forgoes his coat. It was a great view. 

Rose smirked as the Doctor finally came up to her. “Forget something did you?” 

The Doctor skid to a stop and held out his hand. A matching smirk on his face. “Run.”

In a haze of deja vu, Rose took the Doctor's hand and ran with him.


	5. Depths of the Heart

Rose clutched the Doctor's hand as they race through the corridors in search of TARDIS. Through the winding hallways they went, it was if he felt the pull of the TARDIS as it was the sun and he was in it's orbit. Rose let out a slightly manic laugh as she gripped the Doctor's hand harder. “It's always running with you!” Rose yelled as they turned another corner. 

Looking back at Rose, the Doctor gave a grin in response. “Come on, it's what you love about me,” The Doctor remarked before turning back to look where he was going. While sometimes the Doctor might enjoy going head first into a new place without looking, that sometimes lead to stumbling onto Cybermen or some other hostiles. And one time a green goo that he was never able to get off his shoes and pants. Terrible mess. Great exfoliating creme though. 

“Right,” Rose muttered under her breath, “You certainly give my heart a work out.” Her smile slipped slightly. 

A pale blue light reached beyond the next corner. They barreled into the next corner. “There you are, you beauty!” The Doctor shouted. The TARDIS stood as solid as it usually did when left to it's own devices. With practiced movements, the Doctor pushed opened the door with his key and the couple fell into the TARDIS. 

Leaning against the door together, Rose and the Doctor looked at each other as they tried to get their breathing under control. A large smile split across their faces at the exact same moment. “What was all that for? Daleks on your tail?” Rose smiled as she looked the Doctor in the eyes. Her chest was heaving from exertion. 

A laugh passed through the Doctor's lips. His double hearts were beating hard against his chest. Being this close to Rose after trying so hard all day to distance himself from her was wrecking havoc on his circulatory system more than the dash did. Inhaling deeply, the Doctor could smell the vanilla shampoo Rose uses and the layer of perspiration across her body. The Doctor closed his eyes as he leaned his head back knocking it against the TARDIS door. 

Rose's eyes locked on the pale stretch of throat as she watched him struggle to get his breathing back on track. Her gaze traveled down his body as he just stood there. His tightly fit suit was clinging to his body and his coat trailed down to the floor. Bringing her gaze back up to his face to see that he was staring at her again. “What?” 

The Doctor slowly brought his hand and cupped Rose's face. His face was serious as he leaned toward her. Halting his progress an inch from her face, the Doctor shared his breath with Rose they were so close. He could feel her heat against his body. Closing his eyes, the Doctor leaned his forehead against Rose's. 

“I am so sorry,” the Doctor's voice cracked as he whispered into Rose's ear. His lips momentarily pressed against her ear. 

Rose's hands came up to brace against the Doctor. Her hands sunk into the nice suit she had been eying earlier. It felt cool against her hot body. 

“I-” Rose could feel the Doctor's throat constricting as he chocked on his words, “I've tried so hard. So hard.” 

Gripping his shoulders tighter, Rose was finding it hard to follow the Doctor. “ What exactly have you tried.” Her voice was a bare whisper but it seemed too loud to their ears. 

The Doctor pulled away slightly from Rose's neck so that he could look into Rose's eyes. They stood there like that. Their bodies were close with barely any air between them. The Doctor's head was pointed downward at Rose's and Rose's was lifted up to his. Silenced reigned as the Doctor looked for the answer to the universe in her eyes. As if a smile from her lips would mean his happiness or a tear from her eyes would be his downfall. 

Closing his eyes, the Doctor stepped away from Rose. He turned away from her, pushing her out of his eyesight. “Nothing.” 

Rose was shaking from the intensity of the shared moment. She thought that just maybe he would do something about the unspoken feelings between them. Watching the retreating back of the Doctor, Rose could feel loss of him and the palpable tension he was creating between them. Rose shook her head in denial. 

This was unnecessarily cruel of him. He was keeping her at his beck and call as he trollops across time and space without any care of how that would affect her. But she still loved him. She probably always will, even if she is marooned in a different galaxy from him. She will always love him. 

The shaking of her head became more violent as she felt her heart break and anger spike. “No!” 

“You are the Doctor are you not! Fix me. You have broken me in ways I didn't think were possible. And am I just supposed to go on and be left alone while you forget me when you pick up the next girl that strikes your fancy. I-I am just a doll for a lonely boy to play with!” 

Rose slid to the ground as all her steam came out. Her anger was gone and she was left empty and morose. Tears slid down her face.

“You are like a drug-” Rose whispered as she sat with her head in her hands and tears streaming down her face, “I want you so much that it feels...” Rose tapered off, frowning as she thought, “It feels as if I am addicted to you. But I know, I know that you are bad for me. I just can't help but love you.” 

The Doctor's back was rigid as he steadfastly did not turn around back to Rose. He tried to blink back his tears. He could hear her sniffling and her voice cracking. His resolve was slowly breaking down the more she yelled and the more she broke down. 

“You are wrong.” The Doctor swiveled around to Rose, “I am the one that needs you. I travel, well, everywhere, and it gets lonely.”

The Doctor sighed as he stood with his hands in his pockets in front of Rose. His gaze was focused upwards at some unseeing point as he continued baring his soul to Rose. “Oh does it get so lonely. It gets so lonely I need a mate-a companion-to spend the time with because there is no point in seeing the wonders of the galaxy if you have no one to share them with.” 

Coming up to Rose, the Doctor crouched down to her level. Taking her head in his hands, the Doctor forced them to keep eye contact. Rose needed to know he was speaking from his two hearts. “Rose Tyler, you have changed me. From the moment I met you I became someone different, someone better. I would never give up knowing you or give up lo-” The Doctor stopped himself as he lunged in to kiss her.

“Did they seem odd to you?” The Doctor broke off their kiss as something came to his mind. Something touching the edges of his conscious but just tiptoeing on the edge of awareness. 

“Really? Are you going to interrupt this for the Empress of Vanity and the Scuba Squad?” Rose said with only mild frustration. She knew that the Doctor had a short attention span, but she had thought that this was important enough to not focus on strangers in a strange place. 

“What?-Well, yes.” The Doctor drew out his reply as he tilted his head. “There is something that I am missing.” 

Rose sighed, “Would you like to know what I found out?”

Smirking, the Doctor looked at Rose, “My clever girl. What do you know?”

Rose smiled back at the Doctor, “It is called Amarantus. It's like Atlantis, but don't tell the 'Empress' that. Oh! And they listen to vinyl records. I recognized the scratchy quality that was going out of the old speakers. It was just like the music we heard from when we were in London during World War II with Jack.” Her smile widened as she remembered dancing with her boys in the TARDIS. “Oh and-”

The Doctor put a finger up to Rose's lips to interrupt her. “We are under water?” 

Rose nodded as the Doctor put his hand down from her mouth. “Under an ocean. Very close to the bottom if the view was any indication.” 

“The view?” The Doctor looked curiously at her. He did not remember any windows in this place.

Rose looked at the Doctor as if he was losing his head, “Yeah. You know the aquarium-well I guess it was really an observatory- that you found me in.” 

“I guess I was busy thinking,” the Doctor's eyes narrowed in concentration. 

“Wait!” 

Rose jumped at the Doctor's outburst.

“There has never been an underwater civilization in Human history, not on Earth anyway. They when they meet other alien cultures, but by then this type of music is extinct. This Amarantus could only be possible if-” The Doctor halted his rambling thought process. His back ramrod straight. “No, it's not possible. No no no NO!” The Doctor was yelling now as he jumped away from Rose. 

“Doctor, what's going on?” Rose's confusion marred her face as she tried to catch the Doctor's eye. 

Looking back at Rose, the Doctor's solemnity reached out to her and gave her chills. “Stay here, Rose. Promise me that,” The Doctor came up to Rose and grabbed her forearms in a tight grip, “Promise you will stay in the TARDIS. Just this once.” 

Rose gave a small nod of understanding to the Doctor. 

“Good.” The Doctor smashed his mouth onto Rose's for a violent kiss. Rose closed her eyes as she gave in to the kiss. Pulling away from Rose, the Doctor turned and left the TARDIS without looking back.


	6. I Love it When a Plan Comes Together

The Doctor ran down the winding corridors with a sinking feeling in his stomach. Everything he passed in the hallways started to make more and more sense. Technology ranging from the 23rd century to the 51st century littered the corridors in a haphazard manner that was not rational with any timeline. Running like mad, the Doctor tried to find the Empress and Emperor. They needed to know the danger their civilization was in. 

“There you are.” A sweet voice rang in the Doctor's ears. 

Halting his mad dash, the Doctor stopped and looked at the Empress. She was accompanied by the Emperor and the Lieutenant. “Quick, your majesty. There is no time to lose.” The Doctor stepped up to the Empress when the Lieutenant jabbed a stun baton into his left heart. Stopping short, the Doctor felt his body start to shut down. He fell to his knees, he right heart working in overtime to compensate. He could heart the frantic beating of his heart crashing in his ears. 

“On the contrary, Doctor. We now have all the time in universe.” Her smile turned wicked. The Lieutenant smirked as he thrust the stun baton onto the Doctor's chest again, but this time over his right heart. 

Falling to the floor, the Doctor's gaze blurred as he blacked out. 

The three figures smiled over the Doctor's prone body. The Empress looked to the men beside her, “Let us bring our honored guest to see our benefactors. I am sure they are just dying to meet him.” 

* * *

“THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!” The Daleks whirred and hobbled where they were. 

The Doctor was strapped to a tabled with metal bindings keeping him prisoner. The Empress and Emperor were presenting their capture to the Daleks. Turning her nose up in distaste, the Empress replied, “We have just delivered your enemy to you on a silver platter. I do not think it would be too much to ask for some gratitude.” 

“Now dear, maybe we should not have been so hasty.” The Emperor said in a placating tone. 

“AFFIRMATIVE!” The Daleks chorused. 

The Emperor smiled at his wife, “They do not feel emotion as we do, it might take them a while to thank us.” 

The Daleks whirred unhappily again, “NO. THE DOCTOR MUST-” 

The Daleks stopped as the Doctor started to stir. His head moved back and forth as he came to consciousness. His arms and legs shifted as they tried to move against the bindings restricting their movement. 

“HE IS AWAKE.” “EXTERMINATE HIM. EXTERMINATE HIM.” “TAKE HIM AWAY.” The three Daleks shouted their commands over each other.

The Doctor's eyes opened as he registered the voices. Turning his head to the Daleks against the wall, the Doctor seethed. “Let me go,” the Doctor demanded. 

“I believe you are familiar with each other?” Mina smiled at the Doctor. “Meet the benefactors of Amarantus.” The Empress presented the Daleks with a hand. 

The Daleks had been deathly silent since the Doctor spoke. The Doctor assessed them as he was detained on the table. 

“Why can't you move?” The Doctor asks with a calculating gaze. 

The Dalek placed in the middle swiveled his eyepiece to each of his companions before zoning in on the Doctor. “WE ARE DAMAGED.” 

The Doctor threw his head back and laughed. His laughter tapered out as he tried to control himself, “I am sorry. Really I am. But did I just hear a Dalek admit they were not perfect.” The Doctor smiled at the Daleks. “Doesn't that usually mean you will be the ones exterminated?” 

“WE HAVE SURVIVED. WE ARE STRONGER.” 

“Oh there we go.” The Doctor's head fell back against the table as he sighed. “Sorry to interrupt what I am sure is to be a long tirade about Dalek supremacy, but I have not met a Dalek I couldn't defeat.” 

“And why would you destroy such wondrous creatures?” The Emperor cut in. “They have brought advancements to our society. We would surely have been killed by the atomic warfare polluting Earth.” 

“What?” The Doctor frowned as he glanced between Regulus and the Daleks. 

“My love is right. The Daleks saved us and all those that live in Amarantus by helping us build our new home under the ocean. Instead of left to die from the war of mutual destruction taking place on the surface.” Mina piped up. “We are eternally grateful to our benefactors.” Mina and Regulus bowed in sync to the Daleks. 

“No no. That does not happen on Earth. Well...at least it shouldn't happen.” Humans from the middle of the 20th century had looked to the Daleks for saving. The Doctor could not wrap his head around it. “Why would the Daleks save anyone? Trust me they would prefer to destroy.” 

The Daleks started whirring again and hobbling back and forth. “SHOW US THE GIRL!” 

“What!” The Doctor yelled, a lump forming in his throat as he thought about what the Daleks could mean. 

A projection lit up beside the Daleks. It showed Rose walking around the corridors and definitely not in the TARDIS. With renewed force, the Doctor started moving against his bindings. 

“THIS IS YOUR LATEST COMPANION,” The middle Dalek started. 

“WE KNOW YOU ARE ATTACHED TO THE HUMAN GIRL.” The Doctor shook his arms and legs, his double hearts beating too fast. 

“IF YOU DO NOT LEAVE WE WILL EXTERMINATE HER.” In the projection of Rose, Lieutenant Archon walked up to her. They are talking on the screen. The lieutenant is holding something behind his back as he talks to Rose. 

“No, just wait-” The Doctor shouted over the Dalek's voice. 

“WE WILL INJECT HER WITH POISON AND YOU WILL BE FORCED TO WATCH HER DIE.” Silence rang throughout the room as the Dalek finished. 

The Doctor closed his eyes as he hung his head. Slowly looking up at the Dalek, the Doctor spoke “I am warning you. Know this that if you kill her, if you hurt her, I will not stop until I defeat every last one of you.”

The middle Dalek examined the others with it's eyepiece before looking back at the Doctor. “LEAVE NOW AND WE WILL LET HER LIVE.” 

Centuries of hate boiled just below the surface as the Doctor glared at his most hated enemy. He could not let whatever the Daleks were doing to continue. They were not doubt up to something nefarious. “Yes,” the Doctor defeated, “I agree.” 

The Doctor looked over at the projection of Rose. She was smiling up at the Lieutenant. “Let me go. We will leave and never come back.” The Doctor promised. 

“Or-” Mina's chipper voice cut through the tense atmosphere. A loud thunk sounded as Regulus came out from behind the Daleks with a large lead in his hand. “We kill the girl and you give us the time machine.” 

On the projection, Lieutenant Archon took the poison out from behind him and injected it into Rose's neck. 

“No!” The Doctor yelled as he watched Rose fall down and the Lieutenant standing over her body. 

“WHAT IS THIS?” The Daleks chorused. Their voices broken and fading.

“Mutiny, my dear benefactors.” The Empress singsonged. She walked up to the Daleks, her sinister smile stretching her face, “You gave us what we want. Now you are of no use to us.” 

The Daleks' eyepieces drooped down and their lights shut off as they lost all power. 

The Doctor was still staring at Rose on the projection. He stared in horror as she was dragged away. She was not moving, there was nothing that indicated that she was still alive. 

“There is a reason that the most unfeeling species in the whole universe fears me,” the Doctor whispered as he looked at Regulus and Mina smiling over the dead Daleks and his trapped form. 

“I am sure there is, Doctor.” Regulus patronized the Doctor. 

Mina walked over to the Doctor as he lied trapped on the table. “Now. Why don't we negotiate new terms of surrender. The last thing I want is for you to take your TARDIS away to God knows where.” The Empress smiled as she looked down at the Doctor. “It would have defeated the purpose of luring you here.”


End file.
